JXHQ: Come Christmas Day
by thechokesonyou
Summary: (Arkham Origins Joker/Harley.) It's been eight years since the fateful Christmas eve that the Batman met the Joker. The Joker is in the Gotham Royal Hotel, awaiting the time to commence his new Christmas plan, as he reminisces.


_Oh, yes, _He thought, _It was going to be a beautiful Christmas after all. _A deck of cards ruffled gently in his long, graceful fingers as he shuffled them. He watched with pleasure from a random suite in the Gotham Royal Hotel as thick snowflakes fell, lining the windowsill in perfect, untouched white crystals. He licked his lips. Another shuffle of cards and a deep breath in. Deep breath out. He slid a card off the top of the deck and smiled a little to himself. He loved that trick. A joker card was in his fingers, the jester's face smiling back at him, making him chuckle. He slipped the card into the wedge between the wall and the window, pinning it up, the snowy Gotham a backdrop. It was going to be a magnificent night. He could already tell.

An old record player was spitting out bad quality Christmas carols, the sound slightly rough but nostalgic and he liked it better that way, anyway. He was a man of simple taste. He didn't bother himself with fancy radios, computers, smartphones. He left that to the hired help. His taste was much more refined. He preferred phone booths and vinyl and gunpowder and heating his room with a lit fireplace. He inhaled sharply, letting his lungs fill with the smell of smoke. The fire had been burning two hours and was still roaring angrily, it's crackling a beautiful background noise.

As he turned back towards the hotel room, he let the cards fly out of his hand, littering the ground. All fifty-one cards were jokers. A large black and white photo copy of the Batman was hung lopsidedly on the wall above the fireplace. Originally, a TV had been there, but he had wanted to remodel. The television was probably lying on the floor somewhere in the suite. An array of darts were scattered across the coffee table and as he sat down, propping his feet up, he twirled one in his fingers before chucking it at the wall. It landed in the Batman's eye. Throwing his arms up in appreciation, he sung loudly, "And a partridge on a _pear tree!_" He giggled wildly, throwing his arms around and leaning his head back to stare at the ceiling.

"Boss?" A voice said from the other room. He looked up in irritation. Who dare disturb him while his stories were on? The blonde was peeking her head around the corner, looking at him through those big blue eyes. "It's almost time."

He leered at her. "You look nervous, my dear!"

She bit her lip. "No, I'm not," She replied, walking towards him, her boots clicking on the tile until she reached the carpeted area of the living room. "I was just thinking… It's been eight years today."

He blinked at her. Eight years. Eight marvelous years… But that wasn't what she meant, was it? She was thinking about something else entirely. "Happy anniversary, sweets," He purred, standing up. He didn't really mean it. Sure, he liked having the kid around, maybe more than liked it sometimes… But this was an even more important day. It was another anniversary. It was the night that he'd met the Batman, eight years ago. He opened his arms to his girlfriend, though, letting her walk into his embrace and wrapped her up in his grasp. She sighed as she settled down into his chest, her head resting peacefully on his shoulder. Eight years, he thought again. Eight marvelous years.

"Are you ready?" She asked him.

He grinned lecherously. "I've been ready, darling."

The petite blonde looked up at him with adoration and humility, basking in his gaze. He loved that look. Taking her hand, he pulled her with him towards the door, grabbing one of the many joker cards from the carpet on the way. He slipped it into his coat pocket with a smile.

Eight years.

He had better make it memorable. The Joker laughed as they made their way down the hallway.

**I've written another chapter to this, but I'm not sure if I should leave it as a oneshot or not. If anyone wants me to continue updating, I'd be more than happy to! Otherwise, enjoy the story. :)**


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